Interlocking flexible composition shingle



Allg. 19, 1952 J. ROBERT 2,607,305

INTERLOCKING FLEXIBLE COMPOSITION SHINGLE Filed April 29, 1950 24 25 i]7720 7" Z2 12, 23 Q Patented Aug. 19, 1952 VINTERLO@KING FLEXIBLECOMPOSITION SHINfrLEy John Robert, Chicago, IIL., assignor to GlobeRoofing vProducts Co., Inc., Whiting, Ind., a

corporation of Indiana Appueation'aprirzs, 195o, serial Nerea-ooi Thepresent invention relates uto `preformed roofing, siding or Aotherbuilding structure covering materials andy more particularly topreformed flexible shingles. although certainjfea; tures thereof may be'employed withk vequal advantage for other purposes.k

It contemplatesY .more especially 'the kprovision of improvedflexibleprecut shingle -units that are laid in courses with 'those ofone course headlapping and sidelapping Vthose of two adjacent shinglesin the preceding course.

The flexible shingles embodying features of the present inventionare-generally T-'s'hapedand comprise ahead, a narrower butt'or shank,and an intermediate stepped .portion similar to `but constituting animprovement .over the general configuration illustrated in UnitedStatesLetters Patent 1,849,785, issued March 1:5, 1932, and 2,050,218, issuedAugust 4, 1936. In actual practice it has been found that there is aneed for shingles to be offset from-alignment both vertically andhorizontally to cope with irregularities in the building structure. Withthe prior art devices, horizontalvv shifting -to anydegree is impossiblewithout exposure of some vareas and to this end, applicant hasV changedlthe number -of steps between the head-4 -andshank and made them ofunequal andirregular configuration rather than equal and trulyrectangular configuration. p I v In interlocking shingles of the typewithwhich the teachings'of the present invention concerns itself, thereis they T-shaped shingle configuration having oppositly disposed foottabs at-its lower edge to afford interlocking engagement with theintermediate stepped portionfof the laterally offset and adjacentunderlying shingle in the next preceding cou-rse. Consequently,l theshingles are interlocked and heldiast to each other so that highvelocity Winds of great force cannot loosen or remove them from theirprearranged and anchored position. The foot tabs are also utilized todetermine the position of assembly with the-adjacent underlying shingleson each course relative to eachother and to the preceding course, scthat there is4 `a predetermined amount' of'headlap of` one on the otherand the shingles are correctly: aligned `,without 'the exercise-of anyappreciable care on the part yof the roofer. f g

With vthe teachings of the present invention, the intermediate steppedportion is yof irregular formation and has ya series of intermediatesteps. vThese intermediate steps conform iny inclination with vthe feetlocating tabs or abutments to en- 4 oisans. (c1. '10s- 7) able a slightlateral 4as wellas vertical offsetting of the shingles in Vorder toconform with irregularities in the building structure or to correctaccidental misalignments. `As a result, the roofer need not be asprecise in laying shingles embodying features of the present inventionand the shingles may be rendered conformable to the building structurewithout exposing any part or area of the underlying shingle.

One object of the present invention is to simplify the construction andimprove the effectivenessof preformed shingles. p

Another object is to provide a preformed interlocking shingle whichrequires .less material and gives greater double coverage than shinglesof similar type.

Still another object is to provide a substantially T-shaped shingle ofthe interlocking type having a series of irregular steps disposedbetween the head and shank thereof to permit vertical as Well ashorizontal correction in alignment.

A further object is to provide an improved T- shaped interlockingshingle having a series of irregular steps in conjunction with regularsteps to reduce the shingle from its wide vhead to its comparativelynarrow shank without sacrificing coverage on superposed courses andproviding the fullest double overlapping protection for a given,

area. or unit of material.

A still further object is to provide 'a substantially 11T-shaped shinglewith a series of steps of unequalV size from its wide head to itscomparatively narrow shankin a manner that affords slight horizontalaswell as vertical displacement to insure 4proper alignment under allconditions without the exposure of any underlying courses. `Still .afurther object is to provide a substantially T-shaped shingle with feetlocking tabs having an inclination oorrespondngwth an opposite seriesofintermediate: steps interposed between thef wide head thereof and thecomparatively narrow shank to afford more effective vertical as well vashorizontal alignment.

Other objects and' advantages will appear from the followingvdescription of an illustrated embodiment of the present invention.

In thev drawing: y y

Figure 1 is a plan view of the shingle embodying features of the presentinvention.

Figure 2A is a fragmentary plan View showing an assembly of adjacentinterlocking shingles like the lone illustrated in gure laid in several.courses as they would 'be on a roof of a building strucure.

tangular in area configuration from which a comparatively narrowelongated shank I2 extends for communication through' intermediate' Thehead Il is re-V side shoulder portions I3. Y s duced from its widthextending between vertical parallel side lines I4 and I 5 through themedium` of a plurality of regular and irregular steps, in this instancefour steps I6- I1-I8- -I9 connected by intermediate 'shouldersIB-I'ITIB' that are preferablyvthough not'essentially vertically ortransversely disposed relative to the shingle shank base I2.

The'rst regular stepIG-IB defines the lower line of the head II" whilethe last regular step I9- I9is adjacent to the top of the shank I 2 andbetweenV the regular steps Iii-I9. The intermediate irregularvcontiguousstepsv I1-I8 are cut on a bias so that their lower `edges are obliquelyinclined downwardlytoward the shank base I2' to conform withtheinclinationjoi the oppositeupper corners 2Il`2I and laterallyextending upper edges 24-25 of the shingle interlocking foot tabs 22-23.The foot tabs 22-'23 have outwardly and upwardly inclined top edges24-25 which are cut on the. bias to correspond in directionalinclination with the lower edges of the opposite irregular intermediatesteps I1-I8 and the upper corner cuts 2li-2|.

With this construction, the shingle IIJ can be shifted laterally as wellas vertically or angularly adjusted for limited distances to line up thesuperposed courses with the building roof structurethat itself may bewarped, sagged, or otherwise out of line. By providing an obliqueshoulder I8 conforming in angularity with the inclination Aor obliquelydisposed upper edges 24 or 25 of the opposite locking shank tab 22 or23,

respectively, it is possible to slide a'superposed shingle I intolocking engagement with the preceding course so` that the verticalmedian line of each shingle I0 is maintained vertically even though theunderlying adjacent shingles in the preceding course are not perfectlyaligned on account of roof warpage sag, or an uneven supporting surface.This is rendered possible without exposure of theunderlying surface'byreason of an inclined continuous oblique line of contact between thecomplemental shoulder AI8 and the correspondingly oblique parallel upperedge 24 or 25'on the-opposite shank locking tab provides for combinedhorizontal and vertical adjustment which accounts'for angularcompensation to bring the next complemental superposed shingle I0' inline. This enables maintaining the vertical line of the T-arran'gementwhen applied to the roof even though there is sag, Warpage, or Vanuneven supporting surface. This can be effected without exposure of anyarea that would be renderedvulnerable to the elements if the irregularand correspondingly inclined intermediate steps I1I8 were eliminated andregular rectangular steps of equal size and shape as steps I6-I9 weresubstituted in lieu thereof. This aiiords more effective vertical aswell as horizontal alignment of individual shingles without exposure ofany underlying areas.

It should be noted that the intermediate irregular steps I 1fI 8measureband determine the overlapofv shingle headsII ofV one course onthe adjacent shingles II) in thepreceding course. The top horizontalshingle edge 26 merges with the top obliquely cut corners 2li-2| which,in

Y"turn, connect with the vertical and parallel shingle head sidesIll-I5. The distance from i the top line 26 of the shinglehead II torthe lowermost shoulder I9-I9 is greater than the distance )of the bottomline 21 of the shank I2 from the shoulder I9-I9 by an amount thatthehe'ad portion II of one shingle I0 overlaps Y shoulders |1-Is fofshingles .lo to the right andv the. upper edge 26 of the adjacentshingle I0 therebeneath. The laterally projecting feet tabs 22-23 ateach end of the shank bottom 21 which is a continuation-thereofandmerges therein, provide upwardly Ainclined 'interlocking' engaging edges24;.25 from Vthepoints 28s-29er juncture of the tabs22-'237Withthezs'hank I2- It is the engaging abutmenti of the tabs22-'23 of one shingle I0 at the points 28"-29'thereof or at any pointalong the Vinclin'ed."edges 24^25 with the corresponding. .inclinedshoulder or left thereof inthe preceding' course, thatV the setting fora given headlap Aand alignment is determined. The irregular and inclinedintermediate shoulders -I1-I8- inconjunction with the inclined Vedges2d-25. on the 'tabs 224-23 aiord verticalaswell'as horizontal offsettingof the superposed shingle ID relative to the adjacent shingle II)in'theip'receding course without exposure' of the lower -shingles I0where coverage is desired. L

In the shingle assembly (Figure 2) the points V2 3 2 9A of the tabs22 23coincide with the points at theV corners of the irregular shouldersI1-I8, andthe tabs 22-23 having previously been bent `under theshoulders I9 of the, underlying shingles I0,those portions of the tabs22--23 above the coinciding points in the shoulders I1+I8 constituteelements which interlock laterally as well asy vertically forpositioning and holding oi one shingle I on another adjacent to shinglesl0 in the preceding course. Not only is it possible to` effectengagementV in the coinciding corners, but along the correspondinglyinclined edges I1-V-I8 and 25 +24 thereof Atoprovide andcompensate forirregularitiesinfv alignment.

Nails 30 inthe corners fof shoulders I1 serve vfor attachment of theshingles to the structure lto. be covered, and these nails SI1-arelocated Where their heads will be lapped and covered by shingles insucceedinggcourses. Y Y

vlt should be noted 'that. in= or der forl such shingles to becommercially. practiced, they should be of such asymmetrical form forsymmetrical die cutting froma `sheet or web of prepared roong materialY3lv with. a minimum of waste (Figure 3). v In Vcutting the webor sheet3lY is' severed alongt'he longitudinalf'center line 32 thereof'relativ'e.to its outside edges; 33 -34 t'o'form two longitudina-lidentical strips35-36. The irregularand 'biasedpinteriii'ediate shoulders I1-I8, in thisinstance two for each side,k fall in the medial line of each'identicallyslitted strip l so that there is jno Waste except for the nishing cutalongany vor Vall longitudinal edges to provide the-desired finishingedgesl should commercial practice So ditatealong the longi- Jtudinal t.center? line '32% and/or '-outside edges 33--34. Without this.asymmetricaldesign.;v the waste would 'be prohibitive' and .renderimpractical all other considerations which would otherwisebe'advantageous, such as the feature of providing a series of regularand irregular steps IB-Il-IB-HL l The rst course of shingles I asillustrated in Figure 2, is laid in horizontal alignment with theshingle shank bases I2 on a common line and with their vertical parallelside edges Id-I 5 of the heads II in lateral abutment. The shingles Illare then securedor'anchord--with nails 30, yand individual shingles vIllof the next succeeding course are set over two abutting shingles I0 ofthe preceding course in such manner that the shanks I2 thereof withtheir end tabs 22-23 fall between the opposed parallel vertical edges ofthe shanks I2 of adjacent shingles I0 in the preceding course. Theshingles IIJ are preferably so dimensioned and proportioned that thespacing of such opposed shank edges of adjacent shingles in thepreceding course just receives the tabs 22-23 of the superposed shingleI0. This generally determines the proper preliminary setting of theshingles ID of one course with respect to two underlying shingles I0 ofthe preceding course. The superposed shingle I0 is then slid upward withits tabs 22-23 bent inwardly and passed respectively under the adjacentshoulders I9 of the laterally adjacent shingles ID. When this upwardmovement causes the tabs 22-23 at their corners 28-29 to strike theinclined shoulder edges I8 in the stepped intermediate portions I'I-IBof such underlying shingles I0, the superposed shingle I0 will bearrested in correct position vertically with respect to the underlyingshingles.

The tab corners 28-29 should then coincide with the corner of the biascut shoulder I8. 'I'his will not always place the shingles in correctlateral or horizontal setting as the alignment may have to be correctedto compensate for irregularities in the building structure or in thelaying of the preceding course or courses. Horizontal corrections inalignment are possible by reason of the inclined edges on the steps I8which are engageable by the correspondingly inclined edges of theopposite foot tabs 22-23 to provide fully shielded engagement along theinclined edges of the steps I8. When the shingles I0 are thus set, theupper inclined edges 24-25 of the tabs 22-23 protrude upward under theshoulders IB of the underlying shingles I0, and those portions of thetabs 22-23 above the shoulders I8 serve as hooks or abutments thatinterlock with the shoulders I8 of the underlying shingles IIl to holddown the Shanks I2 of the shingles I0. This provides greater doublecoverage in overlapping courses and appreciable triple coverage,although it is generally recognized that it is more important to providedouble rather than triple coverage, and with the structure embodiedherein there is the greatest possible advantage procured through doublecoverage for any predetermined unit area of material.

It should be noted that the ornamental appearance such as the grainingdesign illustrated in Figure 1 does not concern itself with thestructural features and such may be varied within a wide range dependingon the demands of commercial practice. While I have illustrated anddescribed a preferred embodiment of this invention, it must beunderstood that the invention is capable of considerable variation andmodification without departing from the spirit 6 bf the inventiom 'I1'therefore, ido ynot wish 'gto be limited to the precise: .details ofconstruction 'set iorthfbut desire to avail myselfzofsuchfvarations-andzmodications as come.:within the scope ofthe-appendedclaims.;, v '.1 *s

side edge biased to provide an obliquely inclined f lower edge parallelwith the bias on the opposite locking tab of each shingle so that saidbias steps interlock with complemental locking tabs of adjacent shinglesto enable compensating for irregularities in the roong structure coveredtherewith.

2. An interlocking flexible shingle of substantially T-shape congurationcomprising a rectangular head portion having its greater dimensionhorizontally, a rectangular shank portion of narrower width than thehead portion and having its greater dimension vertically, a base at thelower end of said shank with its greater dimension horizontally, andbias shaped locking tabs extending laterally from said shank base, saidshingle being reduced in width from its widest upper head portion to itsnarrowest shank portion on opposite symmetrical edges thereof in aseries of square and biased adjacent steps. at least one of saidcorresponding steps on each side edge being biased to provide anobliquely inclined edge parallel with the bias on the opposite lockingtab of each shingle so that said bias steps interlock with complementallocking tabs of adjacent shingles to enable compensating forirregularities in the roofing structure covered therewith.

3. An interlocking flexible shingle of substantially T-shapeconfiguration comprising a rectangular head portion having its greaterdimension horizontally, a rectangular shank portion of narrower widththan the head portion and having its greater dimension vertically, abase at the lower end of said shank with its greater dimensionhorizontally, and bias shaped locking tabs having upper obliquelyinclined edges. said tabs extending laterally from said shank base, saidshingle being reduced in width from its widest upper head portion to itsnarrowest downwardly extending shank portion on opposite symmetricalside edges thereof in a series of steps involving square-entend stepsand contiguous bias-cut intermediate steps on each side edge to providean obliquely inclined lower edge parallel with the bias on the oppositelocking tab of each shingle so that said bias steps interlock withcomplemental locking tabs of adjacent shingles to enable compensatingfor irregularities in the roofing structure covered therewith.

4. An interlocking flexible shingle of substantially T-shapeconfiguration comprising a rectangular head portion having its greaterdimension horizontally, a rectangular shank portion tali of each shingleso, that said bias steps inter'- locklwith complemental locking tabs'ofadjacent shingles to Venable compensating for irregularities in theroofing 'structure-coveredtherewith:

A e JOHN ROBERT;

REFERENCES CITED' Ihe following references are of record -in the le ofVthis patent: l l

UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberY Name Date 2,460,353 Killingsworth Feb. 1,1949 2,533,364`

AGreider et al. 1 V Dec. 1,2,` 1950

